Benjamin Millar
Popular young Melton footballer Dyson Stevens remains in hospital after suffering a serious neck injury in a clash against Darley last weekend.
Stevens received the injury during the first quarter of the Bloods’ eventual victory over Darley in the Ballarat Football League derby, with the game stopping for close to an hour while Stevens was treated by paramedics on the ground.
The incident occurred while the popular young player was laying a tackle on a Darley opponent during the BFL clash.
He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital and placed in an induced coma while doctors examined the extent of the damage to his C4 vertebrae.
Stevens emerged from the coma and spent the week in the intensive care unit, but said he hopes to move out of ICU in coming days.
“First of all I’m so overwhelmed with all the nice messages, there’s been heaps of support from everyone and I appreciate it so much,” he posted to social media on Saturday.
“Hopefully the next couple of days I head out of ICU and start the next chapter of my life in rehab.”
Stevens thanked his family, friends and football club for their support in the wake of the incident.
“This is just a little speed hump in the road, I’ll be definitely bouncing back.”
Stevens has been a consistent performer since returning to Melton in 2019 after helping steer Western Region Football League division 1 premiers Deer Park to victory in the 2018 competition.
He had earlier been aligned with the Bloods in 2016-17 while he played for the Northern Blues in the VFL.
